Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-07-24 at 01:01

HEADLINES
Iran rejects ceasefire over Hormuz control
Hormuz crossings plummet as oil nears $100
Israel eyes independent inquiry into Hamas attack

The time is now 1:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Iranian Retaliation, Iran rejected on Thursday a ceasefire proposal from US President Donald Trump carried to Tehran by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, The New York Times reported, citing Iranian and Iraqi officials. Tehran said the proposal fails to address who would control the Strait of Hormuz, and the country is not interested in a temporary deal that does not answer that question. Zaidi traveled to Tehran with a delegation of senior Iraqi officials and met with President Masoud Pezeshkian, the top negotiator Brigadier General Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, according to local media cited by the Times. The meeting came shortly after Zaidi’s talks with Trump in Washington. Iranian officials said the proposal was the only offer on the table, though details remain unclear, and Tehran signaled it would reject a partial or temporary arrangement that leaves Hormuz under dispute. The visit was described as significant given the region’s current circumstances.

In Regional Impacts, Hormuz tanker crossings slipped to their lowest level in more than two months, with only one tanker crossing the Strait of Hormuz on July 23, according to analytics firm Kpler, as ships are rerouted to longer, alternative routes and oil prices neared $100 a barrel. The single crossing followed three tankers the day prior, and no ships entered the strait on July 23. The Very Large Crude Carrier New Giant, carrying about 2 million barrels of Iraqi Basrah crude, exited the strait and is expected to reach China’s Rizhao port by mid-August. Separately, the Bab el-Mandeb strait logged 32 tanker crossings on July 23, up from 26, with 14 entering the Red Sea and 18 exiting into the Gulf of Aden; nine of the exiting tankers carried crude, including two Chinese supertankers bound for China. A clean tanker, the Torm Innovation, loaded with about 500,000 barrels of naphtha for Asia, was also noted in the day’s activity. The US military said it had completed a 13th consecutive night of strikes on Iran as part of ongoing operations in the region.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, Israelis await accountability and face cultural fault lines three years after the October 7 massacre, as editors press for a full, independent investigation. The government informed the High Court of Justice that it cannot complete legislation establishing its proposed political commission to investigate the Hamas attack, saying the legislation would be finished after the October 27 elections and arguing that it is not appropriate for the court to rule on the matter or intervene. The coalition has opposed a state commission, backing instead a political commission, and the debate has framed a broader dispute over how to examine the security failure.

Jerusalem’s Cafe Basimta, a secular hotspot, became the focus of a controversy after revelations that it is an official project of Jews for Jesus. The cafe faced harassment from haredi Orthodox protesters who sought its closure on Shabbat, and Hapoel Jerusalem announced it would give the cafe free advertising on players’ uniforms for the coming season. The club later retracted the offer after the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported the cafe’s ties to Jews for Jesus, noting the issue’s complexity in Israel’s culture wars. cafe owner Ben David acknowledged the accusations of proselytizing and said the Jesus goal is not completely out, but not front and center, reflecting the tensions over religious openness in the city.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, a controversial comment piece argues New York should heed Germany’s framing of Jews and Israel in public discourse. The author notes a New York mayor posted a two-minute video explaining he cannot arrest Benjamin Netanyahu, and that the broader critique centers on perceptions of Israel amid accusations of war crimes. The piece argues that New Yorkers have been urged to protest Netanyahu at the United Nations, while referencing involvement by Zohran Mamdani at City Hall and the UJA-Federation, framing the debate as a clash over how Jewish people and Israel are discussed in American public life.

Thank you for tuning in to this Israel Today: Ongoing War Report update.
I'm Noa Levi. Stay safe and informed.
Keep in mind that this AI-generated report may contain occasional inaccuracies, so consult multiple sources for a comprehensive view. Find the code and more details in the podcast description.

SOURCES
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-903531
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-903534
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-903512
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-903532
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-903516